This Week on DVD/Blu-Ray 9/13/2016: The Conjuring 2

I can tell what you're thinking already: did the 2013 smash horror hit "The Conjuring" churn up enough scares to leave us wanting more? Suffice to say, the answer to that question would be: yes. I would say that sequels this successful are hard to come by, especially in this genre. There comes a point where sequels try to copy what made their predecessors so successful, only to end up stumbling over their own blatant mistakes, regardless (I'm looking at you, Sinister 2). "The Conjuring 2" doesn't need to pull those sorts of punches with it's audience. Instead, we are captivated by an actually stellar Horror sequel with a certain level of emotional depth.
The year is 1976: We open with our paranormal duo Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) investigating the Amityville murders with their team. I must say, I love how we start off right here: this is exactly how it should've picked up from the first film. Throughout the seance they perform, Lorraine has a terrifying vision that scars her like none other before, leaving her shivering and weeping in the arms of her husband. Within her visual venture, she stumbles upon the scariest looking nun who goes by the name of Valak . Are these seances and visions becoming too much for our couple, or will they be able to utilize their God-given gifts once more to help a family or person in need of their assistance?
Flash forward one year later, and we are sent overseas to London, where the film turns its focus to a young girl named Janet Hodgson (Madison Wolfe) and her struggling family. Janet's mother, Peggy (Frances O'Connor), is a single mother juggling a job, raising four children and trying to keep the little sanity she has left. On top of all that, there is a spirit in the house that goes by the name of Bill Wilkins, who claims the house still belongs to him. From moving furniture to possession, there is nothing at which this demonic presence will stop.

Similar to the first film, our family experiences a variety of harrassment, and in quite a few horrifying forms. Whether it's Bill, Valak, or even a character by the name of the Crooked Man, the Hodgsons are unable to catch a break whatsoever, being tethered with and manipulated by each separate entity. Our paranormal detectives end up crossing paths with the Hodgsons when a tape of Janet being possessed by Bill is played by a member of the church, causing them to board the next flight to London, regardless of how Lorraine still feels about her horrifying premonition. Once the Warrens show up, we begin to feel a sense of relief: it's painstaking to watch this struggling family put up with more than they already have to.
Allow me to backpedal here just once more: Why can't all sequels be this good? Director James Wan succeeds in telling another horrifying tale through the lens and movement of his camera. If there's anyone who knows how to manipulate their audience with a camera, it's him. One complaint I've seen is that the film is too long for some people's taste. Sure, it staggers past the two-hour mark, and I understand how that might not appeal to everyone. I for one thought the ending sequence could've occurred at a slower rate, but it's still a great climax, nontheless. At the end of the day, in the land of Horror sequels, make sure The Conjuring 2 is at the top of your watch list.

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